For a lot of people, when they think of “survival,” they think of activities we typically associate with warm weather — camping, fishing, hiking, and the list goes on. Truth be told, most of us are more comfortable in warmer weather, so it’s not surprising that we tend to practice and hone our survival skills during the summer months. This can be a dangerous and even deadly mistake, however, when you are faced with an emergency situation in the winter and find that you haven’t adequately prepared.

The number one reason to layer correctly for the outdoors is safety. Hypothermia and Hyperthermia occur when either heat loss, or heat gain occur at a faster rate than your body’s natural ability to self regulate. Modern technical clothing and layering techniques allow you to help regulate your body’s core temperature and survive in extreme climates.

Disaster planning should begin before you even choose your home, with a simple investigation of the risks that you will face. Is the house in a flood zone? Is there a history of hurricanes, wildfires, or tornadoes? Once you're settled, you can build up your resources, put important things in a safe place, and turn your home into a survivable system. You will be prepared.

This past weekend, the STS crew headed to William Brice Stadium for the 8th annual Summer Strong Expo and Combine. What a phenomenal event! We learned a ton from the volunteer speakers during the clinic, rubbed elbows with renowned coaches and experts from the athletic performance community, and got to train and sweat with top-tier athletes and attendees.

As a veteran owned an operated company, made of up of former Special Operations we can tell you first hand how crucial physical fitness is to survival. This week we connected with Jeff Nichols, Navy SEAL (ret) – From Virginia High Performance.

Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is the MIND-BODY CONNECTION. When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. There is nothing more important for your personal safety and protection then to be physically and mentally focused and prepared for anything.